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New-look Tomic hungry for the scrap

Justin Chadwick

Bernard Tomic is vowing to channel Lleyton Hewitt's trademark fighting spirit after winning back some credibility with a morale-boosting win at the Hopman Cup.

Responding to repeated accusations of tanking, Tomic showed promising signs with a gritty 7-6 (8-6) 3-6 7-5 comeback win over German veteran Tommy Haas in his first match of the Australian summer.

Armed with a new attitude for the new year, the victory - from 6-1 down in the first-set tiebreaker and 5-3 down in the deciding set - was Tomic's first over a higher-ranked opponent since the Australian Open in January.

But the 20-year-old's new-found zest will be put to the ultimate test on Wednesday night when he takes on world No.1 Novak Djokovic in Australia's second tie against top-seeded Serbia.

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Win or lose against Djokovic, Tomic is pledging to fight for every point, something he admitted he hadn't done in the second half of a disappointing 2012 season.

"It's something I've worked on doing, to always stay in there now and fight for every ball," Tomic said after helping Australia to a 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday night.

"It just shows you what can happen. This was a truly amazing feeling to come back from 6-1 down (in the tiebreaker) and win that first set.

"I know I was down in the third set as well and fought my way back.

"I was trying as much as I can to make every ball, and it paid off for me in the end.

"It's very important to have these sort of matches and get out of them.

"You're not going to win all of them, but you're going to win some of them. And the ones that you try the most, and the important ones, you can get through.

"It's about believing in yourself and playing as best as you can."

Just four months ago, tennis legend John McEnroe accused Tomic of giving up during his meek US Open loss to Andy Roddick.

But the world No.52 earned back some public respect by refusing to throw in the towel against Haas, a crafty former world No.2 who instead lost his way with the winning post in sight.

Tomic, who is reportedly keen to work with former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash over the summer, appeared destined to lose the first set before reeling off seven straight points as Haas faltered.

Then after trailing 5-3 in the deciding third set, Tomic launched another spirited fightback to haul himself over the line.

After a turbulent 2012, Tomic is vowing not to waste his tennis talent.

Australia were awarded a 3-0 win over the Germans when former world No.9 Andrea Petkovic was forced to retire against 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty due to a right knee injury.

Petkovic, who required a reconstruction on the same knee in 2008, won the first set 6-4, but burst into tears after realising she couldn't play on with the injury.

Barty took the match on a forfeit and Australia were gifted a 6-0 6-0 walker in the mixed doubles.